The device of this invention may broadly be useable to assist in the removal and return of any board game pieces from the playing board to their storage container. However, its dimensions and shape are such that its primary use is for game boards wherein the playing pieces fit into indents in the game board surface; thus the pieces cannot be swept or brushed from the game board surface but must be individually picked up to be removed from the game board. Alternatively, the game board could be inverted over for example a table spilling the playing pieces onto the table, then swept or brushed into their storage container. This alternative almost invariably results in lost playing pieces and chaos for those next playing the game. One such game is sold under the registered Trademark SCRABBLE wherein there are many alphabetic playing pieces and a playing board with indents (deluxe version) into which the playing pieces are placed during play. The time to individually pick up the pieces after a game may seem minor but in fact is an irritant to dedicated players, particularly in tournament play. This invention facilitates the collective removal of alphabetic playing pieces from the Scrabble board and return of the same to their storage container. preliminary search for patentability revealed the following U.S. patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Date Inventor ______________________________________ 1,578,554 March 30, 1926 Seligman 2,699,336 January 11, 1955 Keim 2,814,493 November 26, 1957 Keim 4,479,651 October 30, 1984 LaFleur 4,552,361 November 12, 1985 LaFleur ______________________________________
The patents found in the search relate to various means for handling game pieces or tiles. However, none of the patents appears to teach or suggest the structure or manner of use of the present invention.
______________________________________ 4,919,426 April 24, 1990 Vieira ______________________________________
Vieira discloses a one piece dust cover for a game board which provides a corner opening in its top through which the game pieces are removed when the game board and cover are joined and inverted.
In addition to the above, examination of the original U.S. application Ser. No. 07/532,8867, filed on Jun. 4, 1990, revealed the following Patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. 435,638 September 1890 Barnes U.S. Pat. No. 2,073,914 March 16, 1937 Wilfley U.S. Pat. No. 2,100,888 November 30, 1937 Vine U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,722 August 7, 1973 Nowak UK 149,574 August 19, 1920 Smith ______________________________________
The above named patents deal with industrial funnels of one type or another, none of which singularly disclose the use or combination of features of the instant invention.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a device which saves time in handling game pieces at the conclusion of play, to increase playing time.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a device which is low cost and easily used and stored.
A further object of the invention is to provide such a device that is readily assembled into its useful form.
A still further object of the invention is to provide such a device that when disassembled is capable of being efficiently packaged with a game or separately in a flat package.
The manner in which the invention attains the foregoing objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.